The present invention generally relates to community antenna broadcasting systems, and more particularly to a community antenna broadcasting system having an improved channel selecting system.
A community antenna television (CATV) system is typified by a pay broadcasting system such as pay television and pay audio systems. In the CATV system, a selection of a channel at a terminal is made by physically manipulating a channel selection switch so that a channel number selected by the channel selection switch coincides with a channel number of a desired broadcasting program.
FIG. 1 shows an example of a conventional CATV system. A transmitting center 1 comprises a transmitter part 2 for transmitting information such as video and audio information, and a multiplexer device 3 for multiplexing information output from the transmitter part 2. The multiplexed information is sent to a terminal 5 via a transmission path 4 which is provided exclusively for the CATV system. The terminal 5 comprises a television receiver 6 and a tuner 7. A channel of the desired broadcasting program is selected via the tuner 7 by manipulating a channel selection switch of the television receiver 6. In other words, the channel selection switch is manipulated so that the number of the selected channel physically coincides with the channel number of the desired broadcasting program.
For this reason, the degree of freedom with which each channel can be utilized is extremely small from the point of view of organizing the programs. In addition, the viewer cannot select and purchase only the program of interest. Furthermore, the accounting system is complicated in that an individual contract and a process of settling the accounts are necessary per service.
Accordingly, there is a demand for a new type of broadcasting system in which the programs can be organized with a large degree of freedom, the viewer can purchase only the programs of interest, and the accounting system is simple.